A well-developed character is one of the most essential parts of a roleplay. But thinking up a character name can be one of the hardest. Sometimes a name hits just right and everything falls into place. So, my task for you is to take the given name and run wild with the provided character sheet. Add as much to it as you’d like! Own this character, make it yours.Kaevryn Lurida ​

I don't understand how I'm supposed to create a character from this name. I don't know the name's origin, meaning, social standing it's typically associated with, etcetera. I can make a random elf chick and slap the name on her because it sounds kind of fantasy and feminine? I don't know, I could be completely wrong and then I'd feel kind of silly.

I mean, you're telling me a well-developed character is essential to a roleplay, then basically tell me to YOLO a character around a random fantasy name with no context to it whatsoever. What am I supposed to practice with this exercise?

Either works for me. And would prefer if the story was gently led by all participating parties.

Favorite Genres:

Fantasy, Magical, Romance, Dystopian, Religious, Post-Apocalyptic, Zombies (but the plot has to consist of more than just mindlessly murdering the undead), Steampunk

Genre You DON'T Like:

Yaoi, Furry, Incest

Kaevryn (Ryn) Lurida
Appearance:

Age: 27

Gender: Female

Genre: Steampunk

Personality:

Ryn is smart, but unfortunately she's more book smart than street smart. She doesn't have enough common sense to stay out of trouble, and she has a bad habit of running off her friends due to her increasingly pedantic tendencies. Because of the fact that she has trouble making/keeping friends she has a really bad habit of talking to herself. Knowing that she's the smartest person in the room she usually claims that she's "seeking expert advice" when this strange habit is pointed out. (Yeah, she's that kind of girl.) Despite the fact that she cannot keep friends very well, Ryn is a very social person. Aside from talking to herself she will talk to anybody else that will listen, though she doesn't listen to them very well. When she finds a person she likes--for whatever reason--she clings to them like a leech and they have a hard time shaking her until she finds someone new to attach to or just ghost on her. She enjoys training, and has a flair for the dramatics. She also pretty sure that her bookish ways all but make up for the fact that she's a complete klutz.

Occupation: Thief (albeit, a bad one)

Background:

Born and raised in Larkshire, Ryn is one of six children. Her parents Marke and Laerisha Lurida are modest, hardworking people. Her mother is the head chef in the kitchens of Viden Academy (the largest university in Terii), and her father is a professor of language and folklore. They were never rich, their family never did quite fit in with the upper class, but they were too well off to be considered lower class either. They were stuck somewhere in the middle, much like Ryn was with her siblings.

Growing up, Ryn always was bruised or broken. She couldn't stand still without falling over, but her curious nature and small stature had her squeezing into all sorts of places to explore and snoop through other people's stuff. That's how she met Braken. They both were "snooping" in the same house. Impressed with her ingenuity and resolve to get where she wasn't supposed to Braken introduced her to a side of the city that she hadn't realized existed. Now, she gets paid to snoop, and steal. Though she's not the best, and often leaves a trail of broken belongings, and torn clothes she has yet to be caught.

Weapons/Abilities/Powers (if applicable):

No Door Left Locked- Equipped with her handy-dandy lock picks, Ryn can force almost any lock open. If she can't finesse it to unlatch she also carries a hammer to bash it open.

Uncoordinated- She's always lacked the grace of the average person. She could trip on a flat surface, and often does. But because of her proclivity toward falling, she has learned to do it well. Aside from the bruises that often cover her arms and legs, she rarely gets injured.​

No Stone Unturned- Need to find something? Ryn's your gal. She can find almost anything, and specializes in jobs that require the whole house to be turned upside down. In fact, even if the job doesn't require it, expect her to anyway. She can't help herself, she's so nosy.

World/Culture (optional):​

The world of Tarii is much like Earth, if Earth's technology had stopped at steam power and clockworks. The world is divided by invisible lines that mark the borders of each country, and each country views itself as better than the next. The major differences rest in the distinction of religious beliefs. Larkshire, the capital district of Ostror, rests in the center of the Eastern Continent and has the most diverse group of citizens in the world. The country has changed and adapted as time has progressed somehow creating a solid, and unified religion and culture out of the mish-mash of differences that have migrated their. Their religion is both polytheistic and monotheistic based on the individual. It had long been decided by the religious leaders that nobody could, for sure, understand the truth of the universe on their own, so they theorized that everybody must have a bit of the truth. Because of this, it is thought that it is the up to the individual to interpret whether there was one god or many (or none), but as long as moralistically they followed the same doctrine they must all be of the same religion. The rules are simple. Pray, be kind, be humble, tithe, and don't kill. Because of this belief people simply don't feel the need to fight for their beliefs because all beliefs are accepted.

Ostror is ruled by a council of monks. The monks don't speak, they don't meet with the public, and they don't settle grievances. It is up to the individuals to settle minor issues and the Council Guard handles anything that gets out of hand. Most punishments fall under the guise of labor. They look at the individual's life and their skills, and use them to the advantage of the country as a whole. Punishments will usually be free labor for the common good, rather than imprisonment, or fines.

For those who commit violent crimes though, there is no leniency. The punishment is a swift death and their souls are left to a higher power to punish. There is no room for a blatant disregard of other people's rights, and the highest form of flouting those rights is to remove somebody's right to life.

Introduction post (optional):​

Stepping through the threshold and into the dimly lit study, Ryn pulled her goggles back and adjusted them on the top of her head. A warm fire cracked in the hearth, complimenting the warm yellow glow of the lights glowing from the sconces on the wall. Nothing greeted her entrance though, and she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other for a few moments longer than what was comfortable before clearing her throat and announcing her presence to the room's solitary occupant.

"Excuse me," she said into the silence looking in search of the Lord who had summoned her. Still no response. A small grin pulled up one corner of her mouth as she stepped further into the room to get a better look. "Well, then," she continued to herself. "I suppose I'll just have a look around while I wait."

The room, not unlike any other room she had seen, had a tall vaulted ceiling and two large windows framing perfectly framing either side of the fireplace on the outside wall. Dark, heavy curtains hung over them, with just a barest glimmer of natural light peeking in from around the edges. They were, maroon, maybe. Or purple. It was hard to tell exactly in the warm amber glow cast off by the lights and fire burning inside the room. Shadows hung heavily in the corners, hiding the edges of tall shelves filled with books and knick-knacks. The furniture looked to match the curtains, that strange hue that she couldn't quite pinpoint. Two chairs placed in front of the fire and a small couch tucked against the far wall directly under a sconce. Probably positioned there so as to have a decent reading spot amidst all the shadows.

On the other side of the room, to Ryn's left there was a large, dark wood desk. Intricately carved patterns stood out in stark contrast to the shadows cast by the strange lighting. The wall behind is what drew Ryn's attention though. Clocks, so many clocks hung in a perfect pattern. Her eye was drawn in a strange spiral, each clock directing her gaze to the next. Each different, special in its own way.

She took another step forward, drawn toward them. She didn't even realize she was moving until she was behind the desk. The details called out to her. The intricacies of wooden carvings and metal work told a story that words simply could not. Delicately, she reached out and stroked her fingers along the hands of the piece in front of her. The mechanism quivered under her fingers. There was something about these timepieces, something she was missing. She was so lost in trying to decipher the details of the story depicted in such a strange way that she hadn't noticed the door opening.

"If you don't mind."

Startled, Ryn's feet nearly left the floor. A client hadn't ever managed to sneak up on her like that, and it set her nerves on edge. The whole room set her nerves on edge, but she did her best to suppress that feeling. Giving her head a small shake she smiled at the tall, lanky figure now looming in the doorway between her and her one surefire escape.

"Apologies," she murmured. "There was nobody in here.. and the clocks... I've just never seen anything like it before."

A smug grin graced the man's angular features. "Well, I should hope not." With a sweeping gesture, he motioned for Ryn to move to the chairs in front of the hearth before moving to one of the chairs himself and lowering himself into the cushions. "I am Eladrik Lorvin, and you must be Ryn. I suppose that's not your real name, but in dealings such as this I doubt such things matter. I do hope that my tardiness will not affect your decision to take this job. I was told you're the person I needed to speak to about something... well hidden."

Ryn nodded and moved back toward the center of the room. The edge of the expensive, tapestry style rug caught on the toe of her boot and sent her stumbling forward. After several steps and accidentally getting her own feet tangled up together she managed to catch herself before landing face first at Sir Lorvin's feet. Flashing a sheepish grin in his direction, Ryn quickly took her seat. "The only the thing that will change my mind about taking your job is the job itself. If you're looking for anything too drastic, I'm not your girl, but I can find anything. Never had a job I hadn't completed."

With a nod he continued. "Be that as it may, all your looking for a piece of one of my clocks. I've spent the majority of my life collecting them, and as you noticed before I entered, they're all quite special. The thing of it is, they are each one of a kind and hunting them down has been... Well, it's been an ordeal. I'm sure you did not notice but the centerpiece is missing a key component. A piece of the internal mechanism is missing and in order for it to work and keep time with the rest of the clocks I need it." He paused again, but only long enough to take a breath before continuing. "After years and years of hunting, I know where the missing piece is."

It took Sir Lorvin over an hour to detail what it was Ryn was looking for, and by the time he was done she was already exhausted. His voice had this way of sounding increasingly dull with each passing word. But, she accepted the job regardless and excused herself from his company as soon as she was able.

She was glad of the afternoon sun on her skin. The study had left her feeling drained, but with every step she took toward her destination, she felt more and more spry and lively. She felt more and more like herself. Sir Lorvin had suggested she move right away as the person in possession of the missing mechanism was on vacation and was expected to return within the next few days. She told him that she'd take it under advisement, but she'd already made up her mind. She'd case the place and if the opportunity presented itself then she'd definitely go about procuring the piece, but if not then she wasn't going to rush it.

The house was set off the beaten path, just outside of the district. It was quiet and out of the way where pedestrians rarely strayed; in short, it was the perfect house for a job like this. Searching took time, and without the risk of some nosy busybody neighbor, or concerned citizen, she would be allowed to take her time and thoroughly sniff through the house's contents. It was large enough to show her that the owner had wealth, and upon peeking into a window she noticed that it was so full that a few trinkets probably wouldn't be missed.

It all appeared exactly as Sir Lorvin had explained. It was a perfect opportunity. The garbage chute was just large enough for her to squeeze into and shimmy up into the house. She wouldn't even have to break out her lock pick. The deactivated garbage compactor was easy enough to move out of the way; definitely not meant for more than one person to use. She couldn't believe the ease of this job. Nothing was ever this easy.

Once inside the stillness that possessed the house nearly overcame her. It was almost as unnerving as Sir Lorvin's study. Almost. And if she had dealt with that she could deal with this. The whole place was a mess, a menagerie of mismatched baubles and bits. The mark was apparently an indiscriminate collector. With a shrug she started her search. Every room was piled high with junk. The few treasures she came across got slipped into her pocket, but she was careful enough that she avoided crashing into a ceiling high tower and sending it crashing to the ground, but she couldn't help but nearly fall with every step. There weren't even any pathways through the stuff. It was everywhere.

By the third room, Ryn had somehow worked out the collector's system. He had sorted and categorized his belongings, the piles were all similar in what they held, though most of it was just trash. She talked to herself as she worked, evaluating each piece she picked up, asking herself questions, determining its original use. None of it was what she was looking for though. Each room took time. Hours. It was intense and she grew weary by the time she'd sorted through the third.

"Onto the next room, I guess," Ryn muttered to herself with a shake of her head, her short brown hair slapping against her cheeks. Stepping carefully over a pile of clock hands, but not carefully enough. She set her foot down on something smooth and ended up sliding across the room and crashing into the wall with an "Ooof."

Briskly brushing herself off she rose and stomped out of the room. She didn't care about stepping on things anymore. It didn't matter, she would step on them whether or not she tried to avoid it. As soon as she entered the next room her anger disappeared. There was something wrong. The piles were all wrong. Everything felt wrong about this room. The familiar sorting pattern that she'd picked up in the last few rooms was gone. This one had no organization the piles were thrown together rather than built with care. Her breath caught in her throat as she stepped through the debris. She needed to figure out what was different before continuing.

That's when it caught her gaze. There it was, laying smack dab in the middle of the floor. The mechanism that Sir Lorvin had described. The delicate look of gears lovingly placed together like pieces of a puzzle. She had no idea how it would fit inside a clock or what it would do, but it looked like a key. A key welded together with leftover gears, but upon closer inspection she realized it wasn't welded. And it was discolored? Curiosity painted her features as she knelt next to it and picked it up. The carpet squelched under her weight and she immediately jumped to her feet. Looking down her knees were covered in a gooey crimson. The coppery scent of blood finally reaching her nose. She froze, key in hand.

Her gaze darted around looking for the source and there it was. Poking out from the side of a haphazard head, the cold grey pallor of death covering it, was a hand.

"Oh, shit!"

A loud crash erupted through the house, followed by the quick step of a highly trained military unit. And there she was, covered in blood, holding a sharp metal object also covered in blood. Without thought she tucked the key into her pack and rushed to the window. Throwing it open she tumbled out, ass over elbows, onto the lawn. As soon as she got her feet under her she took off, running at full speed toward the outer edge of the property.

"Oi, over here! The window's open!"

She turned to look at her pursuers over her shoulder. They weren't out of the house yet. They hadn't seen her yet. She doubted they'd believe she'd been set up. Running was her only option at that point, and run she did. Or at least she tried to. Turning back around, Ryn ran smack into another person hard enough to send them both sprawling backwards onto their rears.

Image Source: Tried to find the original, but couldn't only could find it on pinterest. Even with a reverse image search, so if you know the artist please let me know so I can credit.​

Personality: Arrogant in the order of Banksy, but not nearly as stealthy. Takes great pride in her artwork and demeans anyone who thinks different than she does. Sarcastic and with great wit, but rigid in her beliefs. Black sheep of her family.

Occupation: Magician/Street Tagger

Background: Youngest of twelve, and the only girl, Kay had to grow up tough. Between her brothers beating the crap out of her, and her under-performing in school, she ended up dropping out and learning the ways of the streets. As her skill with regular aerosol paint grew, her crew boss saw her talent and introduced her to Lucid, magic-based spray paints meant for general construction applications, but handy in gang warfare as well.

As her status grew in the crew, so did her arrogance. She eventually went rogue and is regularly warring with her old friends.

World/Culture (optional): Tough kid growing up in the streets of New Amsterdam (never got changed to York) in a modern day thirteen colonies America. While the west was explored, the shamanism and animism of the native tribes proved too much for colonial England and Spain.

Introduction post (optional):

Kay hit the ground running, a blur of red and blue seemed to whirl around her as the mescaline hit. She'd planned on being spiritual tonight, but the cops apparently had other plans. Their calls for her to stop seemed to resound and reverberate through her head, but she kept running, the adrenaline forcing her high into a grander scale.

She found a fire escape and began climbing, hoping to reach the rooftop before the cop's shock casters were in range. On the way up she couldn't help but wonder why Aeryn of all people would call them in. They were family – crew – once, and even she knew you didn't call Authority on former crew mates. You just didn't. Fucking bitch she thought in about three different languages. Languages? Or was that the drugs? She didn't know. She was climbing and soon she'd be on the rooftop, airborne between them even. And then she was gonna find Aeryn and fuck her up. Kay didn't think she realized that red Lucid worked on skin.​

I don't understand how I'm supposed to create a character from this name. I don't know the name's origin, meaning, social standing it's typically associated with, etcetera. I can make a random elf chick and slap the name on her because it sounds kind of fantasy and feminine? I don't know, I could be completely wrong and then I'd feel kind of silly.

I mean, you're telling me a well-developed character is essential to a roleplay, then basically tell me to YOLO a character around a random fantasy name with no context to it whatsoever. What am I supposed to practice with this exercise?

Click to expand...

Creativity! That limitation stimulates the mind. I participated in the previous one, though I don't think I'll be able to participate in this one, and I had the time of my life. I broke through a writer's block I didn't realise I even had!

This is the third thread of What's in a Name and every time there have been wonderfully detailed character with intense lore and backstory.

Don't complain that it's difficult to create a character with this limitation. Figure out a way past it. That's the fun part!

Sure, you could just generate a random character and place the name on her but the point of this is to exercise the mental muscles to make something fascinating while limited to a single name. I, admittedly, failed when I participated last time because I modified it slightly, but there's no winning condition or anything here. This is quite literally a form of 'exercise'. Merely for the mind.

Anyway, I'll stop clogging up the thread with stuff other than OC Sheets now.

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